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By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

MIAMI -- While Ray Allen made sure not to overly emphasize his decision to leave Boston for Miami or take any shots at the Celtics a day before his club faces the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, he did say that his third trip to the finals in six years does offer some satisfaction.

“I knew when I assessed the situation at the time every player going into free agency wants to win and as you get older, you try to see everything," he said Wednesday. "You try to look at the situation a little bit closer. You step out on the limb every summer and a guy says, ‘am I going to go to this team or that team?’ For me, I guess there is a little bit of vindication because being here is where my whole hope was of doing last summer.”

When asked whether he had any empathy for former teammate Paul Pierce, who could be traded or perhaps waived this summer after 15 seasons with the Celtics, Allen said: "Going back to my situation, last summer I had control. I had the ultimate choice to decide where my future was going to be and I didn't have to worry about what a team was going to decide to do with me. What team out there possibly was going to give me the option to be able to play and also at the same time, being able to win. I guess he is at the mercy of what the team wants to do."

Allen signed a two-year deal with the Heat with a player option after this season for $3 million. He said he has not decided whether to exercise that option or become a free agent again.